Savory Parmesan Cheese Cookies With Spicy Seed Crust

Savory Parmesan Cookies with spicy seed crust are the perfect pairing for champagne at your next gathering or special occasion. Looking for snacks to serve with champagne? These nutty, rich, and buttery parmesan cookies, with a hint of chili spice, are the food and wine pairing made in heaven. Not to mention the crunchy, spicy seed crust that elevates the game when it comes to both texture and taste!

Jump to:

• Why you'll love this easy recipe
• Ingredients
• How to make Savory Shortbread Parmesan Cookies
• Chef's notes and serving suggestions
• Wine pairing
• How to store
• How to freeze
• Equipment
• Recipe FAQ
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Why you'll love this easy recipe

1. These cheesy, spicy, savory parmesan cookies work really well as an easy appetizer to serve before a dinner party. I get so many requests for these easy canapes!
2. The best thing about them is that you can make the dough in advance and freeze it, ready to slice up and bake at a moment's notice if the mood takes you or if you have unexpected guests.
3. I serve them with champagne and other canapes like a few warm and freshly baked truffle and porcini mushroom puff pastry pinwheels, samosas, and sometimes some caviar and creme fraiche vol au vents, too.

Ingredients

Here is what you will need to make these easy parmesan cookies: the dough comes together in minutes, and then all you need to do is chill the dough briefly in the freezer and bake.

For the savory cookie dough

1. Parmesan cheese - Try and buy a high-quality block of Parmigiano Reggiano (which can only come from particular regions of Italy and contains certain approved ingredients), but regular parmesan is fine, too. Don't buy ready-grated cheese; it is often coated with anti-caking agents to stop it from clumping, and this affects the recipe.
2. Unsalted butter - Use high-quality European-style unsalted butter. It will need to be soft to work into the dough, so take it out of the fridge ahead of time.
3. All-purpose flour - Plain flour or all purpose flour is ideal for this parmesan cookie recipe as it's medium strength and provides just enough structure.
4. Chilli powder - I like cayenne powder, but you can use hot paprika if you prefer! The level of spice is up to you. The butter tames the heat, so it really is just a subtle warmth.
5. Garlic powder - This is optional but adds depth to the flavor of the savory biscuits.
6. Baking powder - A small pinch of this leavening agent helps the parmesan cookies puff up and gives each bite a lovely, fluffy, and light texture.
7. Egg - We use a beaten egg to help bind the dough together. Always use room-temperature eggs in baking to allow the ingredients to emulsify properly.
8. Salt and pepper - Salt elevates all the flavors, but you don't need much, as parmesan is quite a salty cheese to begin with. Sometimes, I'll use rosemary salt.

For the crust

1. Egg - We use an egg wash to coat the cheesy, savory cookie dough before rolling it in the seeds to help them stick and form a crust.
2. Nigella seeds - Also known as black onion seeds, they add a satisfying crunch and slight onion taste to each bite; don't skip the seeds!
3. Chili flakes - Red pepper flakes add even more of a kick to these savory parmesan cookies, so you can add as many or as few as you like.
4. Poppy seeds - You can add more seeds to your crust according to your preference; sesame seeds and cumin seeds also work really well in this spicy parmesan biscuit recipe.

How to make Savory Shortbread Parmesan Cookies

Savory cookie dough

1. Mix the softened butter with the grated parmesan in one small bowl, and separately mix the flour, baking powder, chili, garlic powder, and salt and pepper in another mixing bowl.
2. Add the dry mixture (flour, etc) to the butter and cheese and half a beaten egg, and quickly work the two mixtures with your hands. Add a little more egg if needed, but only work the mixtures until a stiff dough forms. Do not add so much egg that it becomes wet and sticky, and do not use a stand mixer. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic food wrap/cling film, and form it into a long sausage shape or log around 9 inches long. Wrap and chill the parmesan savory cookie dough in the freezer for 15 minutes whilst the oven heats up.

How to bake

1. Preheat the oven to 175 C / 350 F.
2. Remove the parmesan biscuit dough from the fridge, unwrap, and brush the outside with an egg wash before rolling it in the seeds/sprinkling them over it to form a crust.
3. Slice the dough into thin 1-inch disks and place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
4. Bake the spicy, savory parmesan cookies in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until they have risen/expanded slightly and are golden brown in color.
5. Remove the baked parmesan savory shortbread cookies from the oven and let them firm up on the tray for 10 minutes before serving them.

Chef's notes and serving suggestions

In my oven, these parmesan savory cookies take 12 minutes to bake. All ovens vary, so adjust the cooking time as necessary and use an oven thermometer to make sure you are baking at the right temperature. If you entertain at home often, this easy recipe for parmesan cookies should definitely be added to your recipe collection. You can adapt them in so many ways by altering the heat levels and adding other herbs and spices like rosemary or caraway seeds, and they really are the easiest recipe to throw together at the last minute.

Wine pairing

These spicy biscuits with parmesan cheese were designed to be eaten with champagne! Serve a dry, aged champagne, preferably with some toasty biscuity notes. Alternatively, an oaked white wine with some age on it, like a cool climate Chardonnay.

How to store

Store any leftover parmesan cookies at room temperature in an airtight container lined with parchment paper and consume within 2-3 days. They are best reheated, so pop them back in the oven for 10 minutes before serving.

How to freeze

You can make the dough in advance, though, and store it in the freezer until ready to bake. Double-wrap the parmesan cookie dough in plastic food wrap and aluminum foil. When ready to eat, coat the frozen cookie dough in the seed crust as per directions, but increase the cooking time to 20-25 minutes. Keep an eye on them so they don't burn. You can also bake them and reheat them later.

Equipment

You will need a couple of mixing bowls to combine ingredients, but there is no need for a food mixer in this recipe. It comes together so quickly and easily with your hands!

Use a shallow-sided baking tray lined with parchment paper for these cheesy biscuits to avoid too much steam getting around them.

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